Helpful Score: 1
Predictable ending but the mystery of who's committing the murders is not.
Slow at times, but interesting book.
Slow at times, but interesting book.
Helpful Score: 1
First Line: The house is quiet. It's 3:00 a.m.
Aussie transplant Sophie Anderson has been working as an FBI profiler at Quantico for about six months. She's made a home for herself as well as several friends-- especially fellow profiler Samantha Wright. The only thing in her life that she's not sure how to deal with is her psychic ability. When she was a child, she had dreams that presaged the disappearance and murder of her brother. She's had occasional visions and dreams ever since.
Sophie may feel uncomfortable with her gift, but she's smart enough to use it in her career. When women begin to die and the media dubs the latest serial killer the "D.C. Slasher", Sophie's unit goes into high gear trying to put together a detailed profile of the killer that will lead to a swift arrest. When Sophie's friend Samantha is abducted, the FBI closes ranks and works desperately to find one of their own before it's too late.
I really enjoyed this book. Martin knows how to plant subtle clues and set a fast pace to keep the suspense cooking. Sophie is a multi-faceted character, and her desperation is palpable as she tries to find her friend Samantha.
I was afraid that Body Count might descend into "fem jep" (the female lead character willingly putting herself into deadly situations), but it didn't. All the female characters were cautious and didn't take silly chances-- especially Sophie and Samantha. Unfortunately they weren't cautious enough for a particularly wily killer.
For readers who prefer a book to be spiced with a bit of romance, there is a touch of that in Body Count, but not enough to bother those who prefer to do without it. Another aspect of the book that I enjoyed was watching the profilers work to piece clues together in order to identify a killer.
One thing that bothered me a bit was the rather weak portrayal of Tucson. (So weak that I wonder about the author's sources.) And although I slapped my forehead when the Slasher's identity was revealed, it made me wonder if such a person really could stay unidentified for so long.
But both of those things are minor quibbles. I enjoyed the plot, the pace and the characters so much that I'll be continuing on with the series. Sophie is one FBI profiler on whom to keep an eye!
Aussie transplant Sophie Anderson has been working as an FBI profiler at Quantico for about six months. She's made a home for herself as well as several friends-- especially fellow profiler Samantha Wright. The only thing in her life that she's not sure how to deal with is her psychic ability. When she was a child, she had dreams that presaged the disappearance and murder of her brother. She's had occasional visions and dreams ever since.
Sophie may feel uncomfortable with her gift, but she's smart enough to use it in her career. When women begin to die and the media dubs the latest serial killer the "D.C. Slasher", Sophie's unit goes into high gear trying to put together a detailed profile of the killer that will lead to a swift arrest. When Sophie's friend Samantha is abducted, the FBI closes ranks and works desperately to find one of their own before it's too late.
I really enjoyed this book. Martin knows how to plant subtle clues and set a fast pace to keep the suspense cooking. Sophie is a multi-faceted character, and her desperation is palpable as she tries to find her friend Samantha.
I was afraid that Body Count might descend into "fem jep" (the female lead character willingly putting herself into deadly situations), but it didn't. All the female characters were cautious and didn't take silly chances-- especially Sophie and Samantha. Unfortunately they weren't cautious enough for a particularly wily killer.
For readers who prefer a book to be spiced with a bit of romance, there is a touch of that in Body Count, but not enough to bother those who prefer to do without it. Another aspect of the book that I enjoyed was watching the profilers work to piece clues together in order to identify a killer.
One thing that bothered me a bit was the rather weak portrayal of Tucson. (So weak that I wonder about the author's sources.) And although I slapped my forehead when the Slasher's identity was revealed, it made me wonder if such a person really could stay unidentified for so long.
But both of those things are minor quibbles. I enjoyed the plot, the pace and the characters so much that I'll be continuing on with the series. Sophie is one FBI profiler on whom to keep an eye!
